Former Xavier guard Semaj Christon has hired an agent and submitted paperwork to the NBA ahead of Sunday's Early Entry Eligibility deadline for the June 26 draft, thereby cementing his departure from the amateur ranks.

The sophomore announced in March that it was the best time to take his talents to the next level and aim for his dreams. The fact that he didn't promptly hire an agent fueled speculation on Twitter and beyond that he might return for his junior season.

In the end, Christon stayed true to his word. He took to social media Friday afternoon to address fans, writing on Twitter: "Thanks Xavier nation...love you guys #513."

His departure leaves a scoring void, as he averaged a team-high 17 points in the Musketeers' 21-13 campaign, and marks the loss of another veteran player. Justin Martin, XU's second leading scorer, and Kamall Richards announced plans to transfer following the season.

Mock NBA drafts have Christon all over the board in the first two rounds. Players aspire to be in the first round because of the contracts that come with the selections, while second-rounders do not receive guaranteed money.

Xavier has an open scholarship and will move forward without Christon, who reached multiple milestones in his two years with the program. Christon scored 1,034 points with 281 assists and 90 steals in 64 games and was only the second player in XU history to reach the 1,000-point mark as a sophomore.